


The Wrong Number of Destiny

by GayForWerewolves



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Nori's excessive use of emojis, Parties and other general high school shenanigans, Slow Burn, cross high school relationships, excessive additions of siblings to the Fundinson family, lots of texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-01 14:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6522793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayForWerewolves/pseuds/GayForWerewolves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nori texts what he thinks is Bofur's new number only to find that he has, in fact, texted his intimate thoughts and feelings to a complete stranger. But it seems he's becoming friends with this person. And...more?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The finger slip of fate

**Author's Note:**

> There was a post on tumblr with an otp prompt for a fic like this only now I cant find it and it was like a dam breaking and this fic tumbled out of my fingers, oops?
> 
> Rating will quite possibly go up in future chapters.

Nori stormed up to his room and slammed the door shut. Feeling like screaming, he grabbed a pillow from his bed to press against his face so he could do just that, muffling the sound. Dori could be so insufferable sometimes and Nori would move out if he was old enough, or run away if he had anywhere he could actually go. Nori flopped onto his bed and sighed deeply, digging his phone out of his pocket. He was still livid and his fingers were shaking as he punched out a text to Bofur.

 _-Dori’s the worst. I can’t believe that hardass would forbid me from going to Bilbo’s party just because last time we ended up at the police station. It’s not like we were actually charged with anything in the end. It was just his shitty neighbors being shitty! Ugh.-_ He typed in Bofur’s new phone number and pressed send.

It had been ten minutes of Nori lying face down on his bed and pressing his hot face into his cool pillow and grumbling, trying to cool off unsuccessfully and instead just stewing in his anger, while he waited for a text back from Bofur. He humphed and stared at his phone which was refusing to ping with a response.

 _-I guess you’re busy or whatever but...-_ Nori didn’t know what to say so he just sent the unfinished thought. A minute later he still hadn’t received a response so he sent a second text _-It’s not like it’s even an actual party just you, me, Bilbo, and his weird cousin.-_

Nori could hear Dori downstairs making dinner loudly.This is what happened when they fought. Nori would storm off to brood in his room and Dori would aggressively bang pots and pans around downstairs as he cooked something to get out his aggression. Nori got up from his bed to pace around. He could play loud music to drown out the banging and clanging, but last time that just made everything worse. He could sneak out and go to Bilbo’s anyway but that would definitely end with him getting caught and grounded for eternity. Sneaking out while Dori was still awake was not something he was going to attempt a second time.

Nori looked back at his bed where his phone was sitting, still dead silent as if Bofur was too busy to text him back. Whatever, fuck him, Nori didn’t need him. He threw himself back on his bed and grabbed his phone once more.

 _-You probably invited a bunch of other people, like last time and you’re too busy for me. Ugh whatever, fine. I’m just gonna sleep.-_ Nori had ended the text with “jerk” but deleted it before sending. He was mad but Bofur was still his closest friend and he didn’t want to fuck that up just because of one shitty evening. His phone buzzed at him that it was low on battery and Nori grumpily plugged it in to charge before he buried himself under pillows and bedcovers to unsuccessfully attempt to sleep off his anger.

~~

The next day Nori didn’t feel much better. He had managed to fall asleep eventually, but fitfully, and he missed dinner. Dori did seem cooled off in the morning though, and he pushed a plate with toast and eggs on it at Nori with a stiff smile. Nori sighed and grumbled but shoved the food in his mouth, saying ‘thanks’ around a mouthful of eggs as he scraped strawberry jam over the toast. He had been starving. 

Now he was at school and he was kicking at a loose rock while he waited for Bofur’s bus to show up. The early spring wind blew through the school’s back courtyard and Nori shivered before practically choking on his hair. He was growing it out and it was just getting long enough to blow in his face successfully. Thankfully, that also meant it was long enough to tie up and Nori was still digging in his backpack for a hair tie when Bofur hopped off his bus and made his way over to Nori.

“You missed one hell of a party last night. Drogo brought his new girlfriend and Bilbo’s cousins on his mother’s side are visiting. They’re nuts!” There was a huge grin spread over Bofur’s face as Nori raised his eyebrows while pulling his hair into a messy bun. “Where were you last night?” Bofur asked.

Nori frowned and gave Bofur a long suffering look, pulling his phone from his back pocket.

“Don’t you ever read your texts? I told you Dori was being a hardass last night.”

Bofur frowned and pulled his own phone out of his hoodie to check and shook his head before raising a pierced eyebrow at Nori and showing his friend the phone.

“Um...no new messages?”

“But....but they’re all right here!” Nori showed his phone to his friend and Bofur’s face scrunched up in confusion.

“Did you text my old number? You know it changed.”

Nori shook his head.

“No. It was the new one! I’m positive.” Nori handed his phone to Bofur who looked over the number displayed at the top.

“Umm...Nori this has a five where there should be a two. Fourth number over.”

Nori snatched back his phone and stared at the number. His fingers had still been shaking with rage when he typed the number out the previous night and they must have slipped just enough to press the five instead of the two. Nori could feel his face growing hot.

“Oh god.” He whispered under his breath, “I poured out all my anger at some stranger. This is the worst. With my luck it’ll be someone who goes here and who’ll know exactly who I am. Oh my god, everyone is going to know.” 

Nori could see Bofur was starting to laugh at his expense as the bell rang to signal the start of the school day and the taller boy threw his arm around Nori’s shoulders and started laughing in earnest as they made their way to algebra class.

~~

It was lunch and Nori was choking down the cheap school pizza with his back against the warmed brick wall of the side of the gym. He watched as Bofur played hacky sack with with the other stoners and smiled and nodded around a mouthful of dry pizza when Bofur’s younger brother Bombur asked if he could sit next to Nori.

Nori liked Bombur, he was quiet and sweet, which wasn’t a trait that Nori would usually seek out on his own, his own little brother aside, but in Bombur it wasn’t irritating to him at all. He was a freshman and already knew what he wanted to do, constantly comparing different culinary schools and occasionally bringing elaborate desserts to school to share. Bombur was also the master of companionable silence and, for that, Nori liked the kid. Being able to just sit and watch the other kids who ate lunch in the little side courtyard in silence was nice every once in awhile. 

Nori’s phone chose that moment to ping and break the serene atmosphere.

 _-Umm-_ read the text from the number that was still listed as Bofur in Nori’s phone. Nori blushed.

 _-Uh yeah, sorry. Wrong number, meant to text my friend’s new phone.-_ Nori typed out hurriedly, trying unsuccessfully to not let the pink flush creep up to his ears.

 _-Ah. That makes more sense.-_ the stranger sent back. A few seconds later they sent another text.

_-Are you...okay?-_

Nori blinked at the screen and read the text over a few times. Was the random stranger who he bitched at last night really asking if he was okay? Nori would be lying if he said this was the strangest thing that had ever happened to him but it was certainly the strangest thing in over a month. Also possibly the nicest.

 _-Um yeah. I’m alright. Thanks?-_ Nori sent back. It felt...oddly comforting having a stranger worry about him. He tried not to smile but knew that he was having a hard time at it.

 _-Sure. Just....sounded like a bad night.-_ The stranger texted back.

 _-Honestly? It was. I mean, I’ve had worse, but it still sucked.-_ Nori didn’t know why he was still talking to this random person but he felt compelled to. It’s not like there was any harm to it.

 _-I’m sorry.-_ the mystery texter sent back and then quickly followed by _-Bilbo’s not a common name, do you mean Bilbo Baggins?-_ Nori was thrown for a loop. How in the hell did this entirely random person know one of Nori’s oldest friends? Nori jumped when the bell that signaled the end of lunch rang and Bombur raised an eyebrow at him.

“Are you okay?” The younger boy asked in a weird mimic of the wrong number texter as he was zipping his lunchbox back into his backpack.

“Y-yeah I’m fine. Just didn’t realize what time it was.” Nori threw a half smile at Bombur and stood up to throw away his paper plate, shoving his phone with the bewildering text into his pocket to be ignored. On the way back Nori lightly punched Bofur in the arm.

“You owe me a dollar for the drink machine, asshole.” Nori said with a grin, holding his hand out and making grabbing motions. Bofur sighed, he had hoped Nori had forgotten, and dug in his pocket to pull out a crumpled up dollar bill.

“Uhh,” he said, handing it over, “I hope it works.” Bofur shrugged and looked sheepish as Nori snatched the dollar and rolled his eyes at him before smiling. Bofur grinned back. “See you in Art!” He called, leaving Nori at the drink machines as he trotted to catch up to his brother.

~~

Nori’s keys jangled in the lock as he turned them and opened the front door. Dori wasn’t home yet, and Ori was still at his after school art program until his eldest brother picked him up, so Nori had the house to himself. He dropped his backpack on the living room couch, pulling his phone from the little side pocket, and went into the kitchen to look for a snack. Nori placed his phone on the kitchen counter as he reached up to the top shelf to grab a bag of pretzel sticks. His phone buzzed.

Nori swiped at his phone screen, seeing that it was just a coupon email for the local pizzeria. He made a mental note to suggest they get pizza the next time that he and Bofur were hungry when they hung out and was preparing to close his phone and search for something to drink when he saw that he had five texts. 

“Five texts? Who...?” Nori said outloud to himself trailing off as he swiped the screen to open them. They were all from the not-actually-Bofur number.

 _-Uh. So it’s been about half an hour? I’m not a stalker. I promise.-_ The first one read.

 _-I go to Erebor Academy with Bilbo. I mean, if that’s even the Bilbo you were talking about. It’s just, not a common name?-_ This one had been sent only a few minutes after the first one and Nori smirked as he imagined some prissy rich kid in the Erebor Academy uniform, twisting their tie in a panic.

 _-Do you go to Erebor Academy? Who is this? I don’t think I know the other people you mentioned?-_ The next one read, followed by _-You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.-_

The last one was time stamped for fifteen minutes prior and Nori wondered why he hadn’t heard it buzzing in his backpack as he walked home. It simply read _-I’ll stop texting now, sorry.-_

Nori pursed his lips and put the phone down on the counter again as he opened the fridge to pull out the orange juice and fill a glass he pulled from the cupboard. This...person...was a stranger, a wrong number, and yet Nori felt intrigued. It seemed they were of a similar age at least and the person seemed friendly enough. Once again Nori felt oddly happy that this person seemed to want to get to know him.

 _-I was in class. How were you texting all day if you’re in school too?-_ Nori sent back. He put the orange juice carafe back in the fridge and closed the door with his hip, shoving his phone in his pocket and grabbing his juice and pretzels to take upstairs to his room. His phone buzzed in his pocket while he was climbing the stairs.

Nori put his juice on his bedside table and the bag of pretzels on his nicely made bed. He would be mad at Dori for going into his room to tidy up but Dori seemed to understand now that making the bed and picking dirty laundry up off the floor and putting them in the hamper was the extent of what Nori was okay with. His messy desk, bookshelf, and the low table that was half taken up by the tank for his bearded dragon, Smaug, and half taken up by whatever crap he ended up throwing on it were still just as messy as ever. Nori plopped down on his bed and dug his phone out of his pocket to check the new text.

 _-Strategic Bathroom breaks-_ it read.

Nori laughed. 

_-Must be easier at private school.-_ He sent back. Nori leaned over and grabbed his orange juice off his bedside table and took a large gulp. His phone buzzed again as he was putting the glass back down.

 _-So you...don’t go to Erebor?-_ Oh. Yeah. Nori hadn’t mentioned that before. This person thought he probably went to school with him because he had mentioned Bilbo in his first accidental texts.

 _-Ah. No I go to Ered Luin High.-_ Nori typed out, flopping onto his stomach and tearing open the bag of pretzel sticks, shoving a few into his mouth as he waited for a text back. This was fun. Like making new friends online, only a little different.

 _-Oh. So...How do you know Bilbo? Or...is it a different one?-_ Came the quick reply. Nori grinned at his phone. Seemed like this person was enjoying having this conversation just as much as Nori was. At least, they were just as interested in Nori as Nori was in them.

 _-No. The same.-_ Nori typed out and sent. _-We went to school together as little kids. Are you guys friends?-_ He added quickly after before the mystery texter could send him a response.

 _-Hmm...not really. We’re not in the same year, I’m a senior. My cousin has a...thing for him.-_ Nori felt his grin grow to face splitting levels. He couldn’t wait to tell Bilbo that someone at his school had the hots for him. Nori could picture his friend’s cute little round face turning as red as a tomato as he flailed and would insist that Nori was teasing him or that his new mystery friend was mistaken.

 _-Oooh!-_ Nori typed out excitedly _-What’s your cousin’s name?-_

 _-I’m not telling you that!-_ Was sent back so quickly that Nori’s eyes widened and he snorted laughter through his nose.

Nori sighed but shrugged to himself. Yeah he’d do the same if he was in that situation. He guessed it was a good thing to know that this person wouldn’t betray a friend’s trust like that.

Nori thought about this person. He didn’t know their name or their gender or anything really other than they went to school with Bilbo, had a cousin, and their phone number was only one off from Bofur’s. He quickly typed out the next text, trying to ignore the butterflies flying around in his stomach.

_-Sooo. Are we...gonna trade names? Or should I just call you the mystery texter? Or Mr. Wrong number? Or is it Miss? Or something else?-_

Nori flopped onto his back and kicked his feet in the air, trying to tell himself he wasn't nervous, while he waited for a response.

 _-Mister wrong number works-_ He read after his phone pinged. So his mystery texter was a boy. Nori’s butterflies increased their incessant flapping in his stomach as he tried even harder to ignore them.

 _-You can call me the same if you want.-_ Nori typed back. Smaug came to the edge of his cage and pressed himself against the glass and Nori got up to feed him. A few head scratches and a bowl full of dried mealworms later and the lizard was happy. Nori smiled down into the tank and clicked his warming lamp on. His phone pinged.

 _-Okay. Good to know.-_ The newest text from Mr. Wrong Number read. Nori was about to write back something snarky when he heard the door open downstairs and immediately heard his little brother’s feet scampering over the floor to the stairs and then his voice calling for him.

“Nooooriii! I drew you a picture at art club!” Ori’s excited little voice yelled up the stairs. It was soon followed by Dori’s doing the same.

“Come down, please!” Dori yelled up “It was a long day and I don’t feel like cooking. We’re ordering Chinese! Come pick what you want!” Nori’s fingers halted. Mm Chinese sounded good after the thoroughly disappointing lunch he had had and he loved everything that Ori drew for him, mostly because he loved Ori, but his little brother was quite talented for such a young child. And Nori wanted to see what Ori had drawn for him. He deleted his half finished text.

 _-Ah shit I gotta go. Text you later, Mr. Wrong number!-_ Nori wrote instead and ended the text in a winky face emoji before shoving his phone in his pocket and going down the stairs to spend some time with his brothers.

~~

Across town, in one of the more affluent neighborhoods, Dwalin could feel himself blushing as he stared at the winky face emoji on his phone screen. He shook his head, ridding it of images of what his wrong number friend might look like winking. This was stupid, he didn’t even know the guy. Yet he was still smiling when he went downstairs for dinner.


	2. The Emergency Effect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori (or Mr. Wrong Number, as it happens) has a wee bit of an emergency and Dwalin is more than happy to help out.

“Are you still texting that wrong number?” Thorin asked, raising an eyebrow at Dwalin as they both sat by the pool watching their younger sisters play some sort of racing game in the shallow end. Dwalin looked up from his phone and shrugged.

“Yes?” 

He had been texting Mr. Wrong Number for a week now, learning bits and pieces about him through their correspondence. Dwalin now knew that Mr. Wrong Number was being raised by an older brother and that he had a little brother as well. He knew that he thought that lemongrass tasted like “weirdly citrusy demon assholes”, and that he was good at coming up with colorful insults. He knew that he had a pet lizard. And he knew that he used to work at the dollar movie theatre before he was let go, and that he suspected it was because he got caught stealing slurpees.

Dwalin had told Mr. Wrong Number a bit about himself as well. He told his new friend that he was the middle child of five and, despite most people’s expectations, was quite close to all of his siblings. He told him how he and his younger sister always teamed up against everyone else and got the pizza they wanted, Hawaiian with black olives, on pizza nights. He explained that his cousin, the one with the crush on Bilbo, was his best friend and had been since they were little kids. And said that he played the violin, which Mr. Wrong Number had teased him incessantly about.

“Why?” Thorin asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dwalin shrugged. He didn’t really have a decent reason other than talking to this stranger was nice. He was funny and clever in a way that was unlike anyone else Dwalin knew in his everyday life. It was refreshing.

“Why do you have a crush on a sixteen year old who looks about twelve?” Dwalin shot back. Thorin was an easy mark when it came to his crush on Bilbo and Dwalin tried not to laugh when he saw the tops of his cousin’s ears grow red. Thorin pushed himself into the pool, making sure to splash his best friend. Dwalin’s phone pinged.

_-Hey you busy?-_ The text from Mr. Wrong Number read. Dwalin smiled and typed back a reply.

_-Uh, hanging with my cousins and sister but otherwise no. Why?-_ Dwalin waited for a text back, staring at his phone. He waited...and he waited. He was starting to wonder why Mr. Wrong Number would text him to ask if he was busy, only to disappear, when his phone pinged again in his hand. Dwalin’s eyebrows shot up in alarm as he read the text.

_-This creep followed me from the mall on to the bus. I even went a weird route through several stores to try to ditch him but he’s still here and staring at me. And none of my friends are answering and my brother is at work. If it gets bad can I call you?-_ Dwalin fumbled with his phone for a minute, trying to type back as fast as he could.

_-Of course!!! Do you want me to call you right now?-_ Dwalin felt himself going into ‘protector mode’ as his friends and family liked to call it. Dwalin had long since given up on trying to deny that this was a thing he did. He had decided long ago If he could use his being too tall and unintentionally intimidating for something good, like protecting his younger siblings, cousins, and friends, then he would. Nevermind that it didn’t exactly make logical sense when translated through a text to someone that he had never met and who was in a bus probably on the other side of town.

_-No. I’m okay for now.-_ Mr. Wrong Number sent back quickly and Dwalin breathed a sigh of relief. _-This mom looking lady sitting next to me noticed him being a creep and is giving him the stink eye and I think he’s starting to get it, but y’know. Just in case.-_ Came a second text.

Dwalin nodded to himself. It was good that there were other people on the bus between whoever this creep was and Dwalin’s new friend. He wouldn’t feel okay if Mr. Wrong Number was alone with the guy.

_-Yeah of course. Are you sure you’re okay?-_ He sent back.

_-mmhm. For now, at least. What are you and your family doing?-_ It seemed as if Mr. Wrong Number wanted to change the subject. Dwalin could continue in ‘protector mode’ for hours if he was entirely honest with himself, but if his friend wanted a change of subject he could do that too. He let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding as he typed out his next text.

_-Just sitting around by the pool.-_ Dwalin typed then looked up when he heard a particularly loud squeal of laughter from the other end of the pool where his cousin, Dís, and his sister, Myslin, were now in what looked like a splashing fight. They had been racing earlier. _-My sister has some bet or contest going with our cousin I think. I dunno, they’re on the other end of the pool.-_ He added before clicking send.

_-Sounds nice. I’ve only been to a public pool.-_ Dwalin felt his face heat as he read the text. He often forgot that not everyone had access to a private pool. Even before his parents had put the pool in their backyard, when he was thirteen, he had always had access to the pool at his aunt and uncle’s house, as well as the pools of various friends. In fact, he could count the number of times he had been to a public pool using just his hands.

_-Oh. Well. You could....come over some time?-_ Dwalin stared at the text he had typed out and felt his face heating even more, he glanced up to make sure that Thorin, Dís, and Myslin were occupied because he was sure his face was bright red. He shook his head. No. Too forward. He deleted it and started again. _-It’s not that different, just less people.-_ He typed out. That was better. _-My cousins’ pool on the other hand is ridiculous-_ He added.

The next text from Mr. Wrong Number was just three laughing emojis and Dwalin smiled down at his phone. He looked up again and this time Dís and Myslin had somehow convinced Thorin to time them in their resumed race across the shallow end. Dwalin laughed and shook his head at the highly competitive girls. An idea of what to talk about with Mr. Wrong Number popped into his head and Dwalin started typing away at his phone again.

_-So what were you at the mall for?-_ He sent, once again changing the subject to something that seemed easier to talk about.

_-New shoes! Mine were a disaster about to fall apart. Got some pretty cute new ones too!-_ This text was followed by the tennis shoes emoji and a smiley face. Earlier in the week when Frerin had stolen his phone to tease him about the texts he had accused Mr. Wrong Number of being a girl trying to fake Dwalin out because he used phrases like “super cute” and was liberal with his emojis. Dwalin had told Frerin to fuck off and examine his own emoji use before he talked shit about other people’s, but it had made Dwalin wonder what sort of guy his Mr. Wrong Number was. Not that it mattered what, really, Dwalin still knew he liked the guy.

A few minutes of not responding and Dwalin received a picture text. This was new. Dwalin stared at the little notification and thought about it. He was wary because they had said no pictures and no names unless there was a point where it was necessary, but ultimately he clicked on the picture much faster and with more anticipation than he would care to admit. It was a picture of feet, clad in a pair of black and neon blue nikes with matching blue laces and what looked like the grimey bus floor underneath them, Dwalin sighed in...relief?

_-They are cute.-_ He confirmed, a little surprised at how small Mr. Wrong Number’s feet looked. He didn’t know what he was expecting Mr. Wrong Number to look like, if he really had been expecting anything in particular. But he knew that he hadn’t been expecting shoes that looked like they belonged to someone that much smaller than him. Hadn’t Mr. Wrong Number said he was sixteen?

_-Thanks, they were on clearance.-_ Came the reply, quickly followed by -Still surprised they had my size!- Dwalin didn’t know what to say to that. Was it okay to make a comment about a friend’s feet? Specially one he’d never met in real life? He didn’t have too much time to worry though as his phone pinged again with a new text and the subject was changed once more.

_-Oh thank fuck the creep got off the bus. And before my stop and everything!-_ This was followed by one sighing emoji and five big grins. Dwalin agreed with that sentiment in emoji form.

_-Good!-_ he typed out _-I wasn’t liking the thought of having to call the police for you.-_

_-Aww you would have called the cops for me? How sweet.-_ This was followed by two kissy face emojis and Dwalin didn’t like to dwell on the fact that they made his stomach do flips and he could feel his cheeks going a little pink.

_-Wasn’t that why you texted me?-_ Dwalin was curious and a little confused.

_-I guess.-_ Mr. Wrong Number didn’t give any more information and it seemed like this might be a bit of a sore subject. Dwalin remembered in those wrong number texts that started this all when he mentioned being at the police station and sighed. He wondered what Mr. Wrong Number’s relationship with the police was like. His phone pinged.

_-Well my stop is here, I’m gonna go for a bit. Uh. I can still call you if the creep somehow shows up on the way to my house?-_

_-Of course.-_ Dwalin typed back. Just because he realized there were still some things he didn’t know about Mr. Wrong Number didn’t mean they weren’t still friends. This was an odd friendship in the first place.

_-Thanks!-_ was sent back, a winky kiss face attached to it. Dwalin just stared at his phone. He hadn’t even met the guy or seen what he looked like, why was his heart racing and why did he feel butterflies in his stomach every time he received a silly flirty emoji? Dwalin didn’t have long to dwell on it, as, while lost in his thoughts, Dís had snuck up on him and flicked water at him to get his attention. Dwalin looked up to see her leaning against the pool edge with her arms.

“Huh?” He said unintelligently and felt like cringing as Dís snickered a little at him.

“Texting your lover boy?” She asked and Dwalin could feel the tops of his own ears turning pink and cursed the universe for providing such swift retribution for embarrassing Thorin earlier.

“He’s not my ‘lover boy’, why do you insist on calling him that?” Dwalin said, leaning to put his phone on the lounge chair closest to the edge so he could grab it if it rang.

“Because you’re always dreamy and distracted when he texts, duh!” Dís rolled her eyes and swam to the middle of the deep end to tread water.

“I’m just focusing on what he’s saying. I don’t even know what he looks like Dís, don’t be ridiculous.” Dwalin could feel his face burning but there was no way in hell that he was giving Dís the satisfaction of admitting that he might like the guy.

“Mmmhm” Dís hummed. She raised an eyebrow at him like she didn’t believe a word that he said and then shook her head, laughing. “Well Frerin called while you were too busy ‘focusing’ and said he was bringing over Chinese food so we should probably get out of the pool.” Dwalin nodded and Dís swam back to the shallow end as he pushed himself out of the pool to grab his phone and dry off before his cousin arrived with food.

~~

Nori sighed and flopped down on the couch of his living room, giving himself a moment to breathe. The guy following him had really freaked him out. Nori would go to the police with a potential pedophile report if he had trusted the cops in his neighborhood at all. As it was, he was just glad that Mr. Wrong Number had seemed more than okay with Nori calling him in an emergency. He smiled, that was nice, actually. Having someone he could rely on at the drop of a hat would be something new and pleasant. Not that Nori couldn’t rely on Dori, he could, but Dori was was a busy man, working two jobs to try to clothe and feed both of his younger brothers and wasn’t always available.

Nori looked at his phone and there was a text from Mr. Wrong Number.

_-Eating lunch with my family. I’ll answer if you call but if it’s not an emergency I’m busy.-_ There was a smile emoji at the end and Nori’s grin lit up his face. This was the first emoji that Mr. Wrong Number had used so far and Nori was elated to see it.

“Yeah, Mr. Wrong Number, come out of that stuffy rich guy shell!” Nori said, laughing, to his phone, still smiling as he put it back on his chest and laid his head back on the couch pillow. He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes.

Nori had to go pick up Ori from Mrs. Harrison’s house, down the street, soon, but he could give himself a few minutes peace before he got up to go. Mrs. Harrison loved spoiling his little brother with lemonade and cookies anyway. No one involved would mind if he took a little nap first. Nori’s dreams consisted of fancy earthen pools and the vague shape of someone in the Erebor Academy uniform inviting him for a swim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for next week when the slow burn barely burns any faster at all. ha ha.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! I'm hoping to have weekly updates and I'll try to update on Sundays but if I'm late I'll be posting on Mondays. I'll tell you if anything changes.


End file.
